Batting

Kasey Lange drove in six of Harvard's eight runs Sunday in two games against Columbia (Harvard Athletic Communications).

NEW YORK – Rookie third baseman Kasey Lange drove in six runs in two games as the Harvard softball team picked up a pair of 4-2 wins over Columbia Sunday in an Ivy League doubleheader. The Crimson ups its season record to 18-10 and its Ivy mark to 4-0 on the season with the twinbill sweep.

Lange saw the ball well from the get-go, lacing a double to center in the top of this first for the game's first hit. However, it was the Lions who came home with the game's first run, thanks to a one-out walk followed by a pair of singles to the left side of the infield in the first. Harvard prevented another run from coming home in the inning, cutting down a Columbia runner in a rundown.

Harvard did its damage in the top of the third, getting a jolt from Ashley Heritage who reached base with one out on a catcher error. Ellen Macadam and Stephanie Regan also reached on Columbia errors, loading the bases for Lange with one out in the frame. After taking a ball and a strike, Lange launched a 1-1 pitch to centerfield for the first grand slam of her career, swinging the lead over to Harvard, 4-1 after three innings. The blast was Lange's third round-tripper of the season.

From there, it was all Rachel Brown as the junior hurler scattered two hits over the final five innings to keep the Harvard lead safe. The Lions managed one more run on a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh, but that was all the offense they could muster as Brown picked up her 12th win of the season with a 4-2 final. Lange went 3 for 3 with two doubles, a homer and four RBI while Brown sat down 11 Columbia hitters in the complete-game victory.

Macadam started Game 2 on the right foot for the Crimson, punching the second pitch of the game over the left field fence for her team-leading sixth homer of the season. Pitcher Laura Ricciardone quelled a good chance for the hosts in the bottom of the inning, keeping the Lions off the board despite three base hits. Harvard doubled its lead in the top of the fourth where Lange ripped her third double of the day to start the inning. After a Whitney Shaw fly out to left, Allison Scott stepped to the plate and drove in her classmate with an RBI double to left center.

Lange stretched the visitor lead to 4-0 in the Harvard fifth, following Macadam and Regan singles with a base-hit to right field driving in two. Three base hits by the Lions in the bottom of the seventh resulted in two runs, but Ricciardone retired the final batter on a fielder's choice to end the scoring threat and give the 4-2 victory to Harvard. Ricciardone went the distance for the Crimson, scattering seven hits and striking out five for her sixth win this season. Lange and Scott were both 2 for 3 from the plate with Lange picking up a pair of RBI in the game. Macadam and Regan also knocked a pair of hits in the win.

Harvard returns home for its next game when it welcomes Providence to Soldiers Field for a 4 p.m. game Tuesday.